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Summary and Objective
Students will understand that the Soviet Union's launch of their satellite Sputnik inspired President Eisenhower to pursue the United States' interests in space. This became known as the "Space Race" with the Soviets, another effect of the Cold War.
Teaching Plan
Step 1.
Students will read the article "Soviets 'Moon' Circling Globe at Terrific Speed" from the American Centuries website. Question students about the article: 1. What is the article about? 2. What is a satellite? 3. What country was the satellite launched from? 4. What does the United States government know about it? 5. How are American citizens reacting to it? 6. How would you react to it?
Step 2.
Inform the students about Sputnik. Explain that it was a satellite launched by the Soviet Union and discuss its implications for the United States in the context of the Cold War.
Step 3.
Inform students that they will be given a copy of the Memorandum of the conference with President Eisenhower after Sputnik was launched dated, October 8, 1957. This can be accessed from the National Archives website (see link below).
Step 4.
Ask students: 1. What was the purpose of this meeting? 2. Who attended? 3. What is the date? How many days after the launching of Sputnik did it take place? 4. What are Eisenhower's plans for dealing with the launching of Sputnik? 5. If you were Eisenhower, what would you do?
Students can either answer these questions in pairs/groups or as a class.
Step 5.
Review previous questions as a class. Write student responses to the last two questions on a transparency or chalkboard.
Step 6.
Students can compare their answers to Eisenhower's actual response by looking at the Space Race timeline located at
the newseum timeline (see link below) examining the year 1958.
Step 7.
As an assessment, students should be given the political cartoon "What was that?" located at the NASA website (see link below). Ask students what the meaning of the cartoon is (that the US was complacent during the launching of Sputnik). Ask students if, based on the Eisenhower meeting memorandum and the timeline, they agree with this cartoon.
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